China Focus: Expats join forces in Hainan's anti-epidemic fight-Xinhua

China Focus: Expats join forces in Hainan's anti-epidemic fight

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2022-08-17 18:46:00

HAIKOU, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- U.S. expat Elizabeth Kiderlen has spent most of her time during the last few days at a nearby nucleic acid testing site in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, assisting with local epidemic prevention work.

Kiderlen, who is a public diplomacy consultant at Haikou Exchange Center for Foreign Affairs, has lived in China for nearly two decades. The latest resurgence of COVID-19 infections in the province prompted her to join forces in the anti-epidemic efforts as a volunteer.

Hainan registered 5,298 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 6,457 asymptomatic carriers between Aug. 1 and 16, according to the provincial health commission.

Many people, including foreign residents and students, have decided to take up voluntary tasks in the anti-epidemic fight.

Kiderlen's neighborhood has been put under static management due to the current wave of COVID-19 infections across the island. People must undergo regular nucleic acid tests to curb the spread of infections.

She is tasked with providing stickers to those who underwent testing and helping foreign residents and tourists with the epidemic prevention measures.

"This is the best job I ever had. China, you are doing a good job of keeping people safe," she posted on social media.

Previously, Kiderlen was a teacher in Hebei Province in north China. In 2006, she traveled to Hainan on a holiday and was so captivated by the hospitable atmosphere that she decided to relocate here.

She opened a homestay and taught English at Hainan University over the years. Four years ago, she was hired as a consultant by the Haikou Exchange Center for Foreign Affairs. Her job primarily entails fostering positive relationships with foreign expats living in Hainan by facilitating their integration into the local culture and society.

To help with the ongoing epidemic prevention work, the local government recruited a group of volunteers including international students. They are mainly responsible for coordinating nucleic acid testing.

Kashmala Fazil, Tariq Mahnoor and Haseeb Ur Rehman, who hail from Pakistan, are among these volunteers. As international students majoring in clinical medicine at Hainan Medical University, they have volunteered to assist in the anti-epidemic fight in Haikou.

Donning hazmat suits, they patiently helped elder people scan the QR code before taking nucleic acid tests.

"If all of us, including the Chinese and all foreigners, follow the same rules implemented by the Chinese government for eradicating COVID-19, we can soon defeat the virus," Fazil said, adding that she loves China and considers herself fortunate to have the opportunity to help the country.

Tariq was seen reminding people to keep a safe distance from each other when they were lining up for nucleic acid testing. "People are voluntarily helping others everywhere in China. Helping your fellow people is the best way to succeed for a nation and I think the measures China has taken are very effective to contain COVID-19," he said.

Rehman has studied in China for three years and can speak fluent Chinese. "China gave our country lots of medical masks and medicines when we needed them most. Therefore, I want to do some voluntary work for Haikou. We are a family," Rehman said.